GoAir Told To Replace Pratt & Whitney Engines Of 13 Airbus A320neo Planes In 15 Days
GoAir says it hasn’t received any communication from DGCA regarding replacement of Pratt & Whitney engines in its A320neo planes.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has asked budget airline GoAir to replace the Pratt & Whitney engines of 13 Airbus A320neo planes, which have been used for over 3,000 hours, within the next 15 days or face their grounding, an official said Tuesday.
The 13 aircraft have to be fitted with at least one modified Pratt & Whitney low-pressure turbine engine within the next 15 days, the DGCA official told PTI.
In response to a query, GoAir's spokesperson said, “GoAir has not received any communication/directive from DGCA in this respect. Whenever we receive any communication, at that point in time, we will evaluate and respond accordingly."
“We will continue to work on all directives/policies as stipulated by the DGCA.”
The Pratt & Wihtney engine-powered Airbus A320neo planes in the fleets of IndiGo and GoAir have been facing glitches both mid-air and on-ground since their induction in 2016. A few of these aircraft have also been grounded.
On Monday, DGCA asked IndiGo to replace 16 A320neo aircraft's Pratt & Whitney engines, which have been used for more than 3,000 hours.
“Pratt & Whitney is working in coordination with our airline customers to incorporate upgrades improving the durability of the low-pressure turbine in the PW1100G-JM fleet to address a known issue,” a spokesperson for the aircraft engine maker said.
“We certified hardware improvements which are incorporated into all new production engines and during planned maintenance visits. We are committed to supporting our customers to ensure minimal disruption during the fleet retrofit.”
Since entering service in 2016, GTF (geared turbofan) engines have achieved more than 4 million flight hours of passenger service while providing significant fuel efficiency, noise and emissions benefits, the Pratt & Whitney spokesperson said.
On Aug. 28, the DGCA said that about 40 percent of the domestic seat capacity in India is powered by Pratt & Whitney engines and, therefore, any knee-jerk reaction to completely shut their operations will have serious consequences.
As of that day, IndiGo and GoAir had 92 and 35 A320neo aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney engines in India.